Local people in Kenya named the lioness Kamuniak, which means "the blessed one" in the local Samburu language. She has cared for five young oryxes since January. An oryx is a kind of African antelope. At birth, the oryx is a light brown color. When it grows up, it develops black and white markings on its face. It develops long straight horns. Lions in the wild usually eat them.

The lioness became famous in Kenya when pictures of her were published on the front page of a local newspaper. She was walking side by side and lying in the grass with a baby oryx.

The lioness has cared for each of the five baby oryxes and protected them from other lions. Most of the oryxes later escaped with the help of their mothers. Sometimes, park officials had to intervene to rescue a baby oryx as it became weak from lack of food. Their mothers were usually too afraid of the lioness to get close enough to feed their young. One time, however, a baby oryx was eaten by a male lion while Kamuniak slept.

The lioness usually does not hunt for food while raising the baby antelopes. Experts say she apparently is too concerned about the safety of the oryxes to leave them alone.

Wildlife experts do not understand Kamuniak’s actions. Some have said the lioness wants to be like a mother to the baby antelopes because she is unable to give birth to her own babies. Others say she has a mental disorder. Park officials have welcomed nature experts and researchers to the park to study the lioness’s strange behavior.

Last month, one of the oryxes died of starvation and the lioness ate it. It was the first time Kamuniak had eaten one of the young animals. A wildlife official at the park and many visitors were surprised to see this. But the official said it was only nature.

This VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT was written by Cynthia Kirk.

Miejscowi Kenijczycy nazwali lwicΩ Kamuniak, co w lokalnym jΩzyku Samburu oznacza "b│ogos│awiona". Opiekowa│a siΩ ona od stycznia piΩcioma m│odymi oryksami. Oryks jest gatunkiem afryka±skiej antylopy. Po urodzeniu oryks ma jasnobr▒zowy kolor. Gdy dorasta, na jego pysku rozwijaj▒ siΩ czarne i bia│e plamy. Rosn▒ mu d│ugie, proste rogi. Dzikie lwy czΩsto je zjadaj▒.

Lwica sta│a siΩ s│awna w Kenii, gdy jej zdjΩcia zosta│y opublikowane na pierwszej stronie miejscowej gazety. Chodzi│a ona bok w bok i wylegiwa│a siΩ w trawie z dzieckiem oryksa.

Lwica opiekowa│a siΩ ka┐dym z piΩciu m│odych oryksa i chroni│a je przed innymi lwami. WiΩkszo╢µ z oryks≤w uciek│a potem z pomoc▒ swoich matek. Niekiedy urzΩdnicy z parku musieli interweniowaµ, aby uratowaµ m│ode oryksa, gdy s│ab│o w braku po┐ywienia. Ich matki zwykle zbyt siΩ ba│y lwicy, aby podej╢µ wystarczaj▒co blisko, by nakarmiµ swojego potomka. Pewnego razu jednak dziecko oryksa zosta│o zjedzone przez samca lwa, gdy Kamuniak spa│a.

Lwica zwykle nie poluje na jedzenie, gdy wychowuje potomka antylopy. Eksperci m≤wi▒, ┐e najwidoczniej zbytnio jest zaabsorbowana bezpiecze±stwem oryks≤w, aby zostawiµ je same.

Eksperci od dzikiej przyrody nie rozumiej▒ postΩpowania Kamuniak. Niekt≤rzy stwierdzili, ┐e lwica chce byµ jak matka dla m│odych antylop, gdy┐ nie jest w stanie urodziµ swoich w│asnych ma│ych. Inni m≤wi▒, ┐e ma zaburzenia umys│owe. Parkowi oficjele zaprosili specjalist≤w-przyrodnik≤w i badaczy do parku, aby zbadali dziwne zachowanie lwicy.

W ubieg│ym miesi▒cu jeden z oryks≤w pad│ z g│odu i lwica go zjad│a. To by│ pierwszy przypadek, gdy Kamuniak zjad│a jedno z m│odych zwierz▒t. UrzΩdnik do spraw dzikiej przyrody i wielu go╢ci by│o zaskoczonych takim widokiem. Ale urzΩdnik stwierdzi│, ┐e to by│a tylko natura.